Spreading the good word of Network Documentation

With the holiday fast approaching I find myself with more things to do than time to do them..... I guess that's a good thing ;-)

Anyway before the week is over I wanted to take a moment and post to the blog.

I don't know about you but I am finding myself talking more and more about Network Documentation.....I just wanted to share with you that everyone I talk to agrees with the overall concept of having documentation for their network. From large to small networks, everyone seems to agree that it is important and wants to know how to get such a job done.

I'm starting to buzz like a bee about the topic. Everyone I talk to make a comment or statement that opens the door to my documentation tangent. As a service provider this is huge. People agree that having their environments documented holds value that they preceive..... A great deal of revenue dollars are to be had for a person who can deliver quality documentation and follow up with it year after year :-)

Today I met with an old client who made the comment "We have gone through several providers in the last few years and now I have no idea what we have." This is a very sad situation, but not uncommon. With an industry standard documentation practice this would not happen..... or it could be prevented if the problem providers conform to it - of which I would be very supprised, if they performed quality work the client would not be in this situation. A catch 22 - well with a standard the professionals out their could set themselfs apart.

I hope I'm not the only one spreading the good word of network documenation. If you have a project on the back burner.... Now is the time to take it off and re-visit it. Well maybe not now, but It would make a great new year project. For you school systems, consider this a project over the next summer break. If you simply don't have documentation, Please consider starting with the NetworkDNA methodology in creating binder based hardcopy documentation... Once you have the data, conforming it to another platform - like a database, would be an easy move.

I know this topic is picking up.... the domain name NetworkDocumentation.com is now active and contains several good articles. I've been in contact with the webmaster of this site and look forward to working with him in the future.

If you haven't checked in at NetworkDNA.org you will be welcomed with many new items including additional templates. At this time we are asking for more people to start posting to bring more life to the community.

If you're interested in how the site is doing.... well I don't want to bore the entire subscriberbase with details, Go check it out.... the number of visitors is always available on the lower left - If you haven't been there in awile you will be VERY supprised :-)

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Follow one Network Engineer, rich in experience with network design, implementation, and administration of peer-to-peer, single server, and multi-location WAN networks, as he shares the methodologies of a new network documentation standard, NetworkDNA, and provides processes, structures, and best practices that will assist you in your own network documentation efforts.
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